Which do you prefer? Solo or Party no Reloads?
Noloir
Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 380
Lately I've been playing solo a No Reload on LoB mode with a modded Ranger who can summon animals to aid him in his cause.
With the ability to poison weapons (a trick he picked up from using molds grown along the walls of Candlekeep to ward off Reevor's rats) and the ability the protect himself from normal missles (From being so adept at using the bow to kill moving rats at considerable distances he's become attuned to the subtleties missle trajectory.) I've found soloing this difficulty setting to be a blast.
After reaching lvl 4 before reaching the 2nd Chapter I figured [Charname] was progressing too quickly and decided to pickup Imoen/Khalid/Jaheira only for Khalid to shortly get chunked by a certain "snare" casting assassin. Tainting the experience a bit to the point where it might be better off to play partyless save the summoned animals.
We all have our preferences. I'm just curious as to how the community prefers to play the game.
With the ability to poison weapons (a trick he picked up from using molds grown along the walls of Candlekeep to ward off Reevor's rats) and the ability the protect himself from normal missles (From being so adept at using the bow to kill moving rats at considerable distances he's become attuned to the subtleties missle trajectory.) I've found soloing this difficulty setting to be a blast.
After reaching lvl 4 before reaching the 2nd Chapter I figured [Charname] was progressing too quickly and decided to pickup Imoen/Khalid/Jaheira only for Khalid to shortly get chunked by a certain "snare" casting assassin. Tainting the experience a bit to the point where it might be better off to play partyless save the summoned animals.
We all have our preferences. I'm just curious as to how the community prefers to play the game.
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"I'm currently playing a no reload game with party members. I have a special rule: if a party member dies, the maximum allowed party size is reduced by 1 (starting from 6). My CHARNAME is a fighter/mage/thief.
Currently I've been quite unlucky:
In spite having prepared well for Tarnesh, with a Shield spell and a casting of a Remove Fear scroll prior to the fight, Imoen decided to enter the fight with her fists late in the fight, when Tarnesh was near death. Tarnesh immediately throws a bunch of magic missiles at her, the second before CHARNAME strikes him down. Max party size = 5
Imoen is revived in the temple, and we requit Jaheira and Khalid. Reaching Beregost, we do some quests and requit Kagain.
Just north of Nashkel, Khalid is tanking a hobgoblin elite, with Kagain at his side. Khalid takes a blow and I decide to retreat him to avoid having him die. The hobgoblin turns to Kagain and strikes him ten points of damage. Kagain had exactly 10 HP... Max party size = 4
In Nashkel I revive Kagain and kick him and Imoen out of the party, next to Rasaad. I requit Minsc and we take on Nera in the inn.
By now I have a pretty refined strategy for dealing with Nera, which is actually not that easy, given the restrictions I impose on myself.
The party spreads out and CHARNAME confronts Nera to grab her attention. When she starts casting, CHARNAME runs away and another party member approaches (Khalid). The first spell is a Feeblemind, and CHARNAME fails the saving throw
Nera starts casting again, this time at Khalid and he runs away. Now Jaheira goes up and starts attacking. Khalid fails his save, but he is now at a safe distance. I let Minsc come up as well, as I think Nera has only "lame" spells left. CHARNAME, enfeebled as she is, decides to run up as well, and starts attacking Nera. Nera casts again. IT'S A HOLD PERSON - AGAIN!! Jaheira and Minsc fails their save, but luckily CHARNAME makes it. Then CHARNAME finds it wise to start attacking Minsc. Nera casts Entangle, while Minsc quickly falls at the hand of CHARNAME. Max party size = 3
CHARNAME gets entangled, and after casting spiritual hammer, Nera starts grinding her down. One strike brings CHARNAME down to 2 HP. Now follows a long nerve wracking sequence where Nera amazingly doesn't get a single hit. At one point it says 'hit', but no damage gets dealt (?!?). CHARNAME recovers from her feeble mind and immediately chucks a potion. Still entangled, escape is not an option, and besides, running away would leave the held Jaheira to face a certain death. Nera now gets pretty good at hitting, and I have to chuck a potion each time, as I only have 8 HP max.
Khalid is freed and joins the fray (phew!). Jaheira wakes soon after, and I can finally move CHARNAME out of harm's way. Nera is quite determined at getting at CHARNAME though, and follows me out on the street. I run southeast towards the wind mill. Khalid and Jaheira follows along, Rasaad joins in, and a few soldiers takes shots as well. They hit pretty well. Down at the wind mill, two new soldiers plunges arrows at her and finally takes her down. Nera has fallen, but I didn't even get the XP
Now with only 3 party members allowed, I have to ditch Khalid and Jaheira. My plan now is to run with Minsc and Dynaheir. But that leaves me without a priest, which gives me the long term goal of dual classing Dynaheir to priest.
My immediate problem though, is that it's not feasible for me to take on the gnoll stronghold. A gnoll can deal at least 11 damage in one hit, and Minsc only has 11 HP. I have to get him to lvl 2 somehow, safely, before his quest timer runs out. But how? Finding a kobold spawn point and start grinding? Also his AC is miserable, wearing a simple leather armor as he is, so at least I'll have to get the shield amulet for him. Oh well, tough times ahead.
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The thing I like about this no reload variation is that it gives this dystopian feeling as your party is slowly (or quickly!) decimated. You might end up with CHARNAME being last man standing, and having to see through the adventure all alone. Or die trying, as it will likely be under my restrictions.
Anyhow, I recommend you guys try out this way to play no reload. I think it could make for some interesting and tragic tales
( originally posted in https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/70480/baldurs-gate-no-reload-with-a-twist )
Currently running an OP 6 party, steam rolling everything.
But the tricky fights are satisfying because I can actually fight them, toe to toe with no particular tactics, and that's a nice change.
For instance, the SCS soul taker dagger cultists, that's a nightmare usually for me. It's very satisfying chunking them rather than them chunking me if I don't play extremely sneaky.
But 3/4 is ideal, high powered, the best equipment, easy to navigate.
Solo, it gets a bit meh after a while, there's too much help for you in the way of arrows, potions, equipment, stats, (because you are Bhalspawn after all).
I don't enjoy no reload, get bored always being careful.
1: If one or more party member dies, they may only be raised once you've finished the current chapter. If the death happens during a boss fight right before a chapter ends, they may only be ressurrected once you've finished TWO chapters. You can't substitute another NPC in the mean time - you litterally have to run around with the dead guys grey portrait all through the mean time.
2: If one or more party member dies, they may be raised, but you must do the following:
* Sell ALL magical items that was not equipped on party members at the time of death, including potions, scrolls and arrows (items in backpacks and in containers (portable or stationary) are not equipped).
* Sell all gems.
* Having done so, go to a church, raise the dead party member and then:
* donate all gold to the church.
* Postpone revisiting the fatal map until after you have saved up at least 10.000 gold.
I'm starting to like the first option. With this option, your whole party make up won't be spoiled for the rest of the game by a simple stupid death, yet you still have to pay a significant amount of time before the dead NPC can return. A reasonable cost that will, hopefully, make you play just as anxiously as you would in a true no reload + no ressurection playthrough.
This is actually one of the main reasons that I like Icewind Dale 1 and 2 so much. I don't have to worry about running into anybody who makes me feel like I'm missing out on something if I leave them behind.